Big plans for UNL’s Research Park

A renewable energy facility is planning to move into the future UNL research park. A spokesman for U.S. Senator Ben Nelson says there’s a commitment to build it, it’s just a matter of when. UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman tells us that it would be a federal facility.

“We feel comfortable that it would be a good anchor on innovation campus and might tie private sector companies to it. It’s a very attractive facility, it would enhance our research and alternative energy, and what we’ve said all along is a third of the buildings would be in the public sector and two thirds would be in the private sector and this would be a major public sector facility.”

The University has to wait until 2010 to take control of the land, which is now home to the State Fair.

Senator Ben Nelson says 1.4 million dollars in federal money has already been pledged toward the 50 million dollar facility, with more funding awaiting approval.